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The Cabot Chronicle

March 2017 · Issue Record

← From the Cabot Chronicle

The community record for this issue of the Cabot Chronicle, extracted from the original pages. Reprinted with permission from the Cabot Chronicle.

Original issue: Download the March 2017 pages (PDF)

Text extracted from the original pages and checked for reading order. Advertisements, listings, the calendar and puzzles are omitted. Where part of a story could not be converted cleanly, it is marked and the full story is in the PDF.

In This Issue

School Board Update

The annual meeting of the Cabot School District will be held this year on Monday, March 6, in the Cabot School gym, starting at 6:30 p.m. Although registered voters will this year be voting on the proposed 2017-18 Cabot School budget, as well as for school directors, via Australian ballot in the gym throughout the following day (Town Meeting Day), we hope that Cabot community members will make it down to the gym on Monday evening to get an update on current goingson at the school, in addition to the status of school merger discussions with Danville and Twinfield. We’ll also be holding our hearing on the proposed school budget at that time; given the unusual set of factors at play this year and the tax rate increase that will result if the proposed budget is approved, we hope to have the opportunity for explanation and discussion with as many people as possible prior to voting on the budget Tuesday. At our most recent Act 46 committee meeting on January 31, our WNESU Superintendent Nancy Thomas summarized the input drawn from community members who attended forums during January at Cabot, Danville and Twinfield schools. At each of those forums, students and community members facilitated a discussion of three options for high school education in a potential merged district. The first option would close Cabot High School and allow high school students in all four towns the choice of attending Danville or Twinfield; the second option would maintain a high school program focused on projectbased learning at Cabot while also allowing students to choose from the three varying programs, and the third option would be for each school to choose not to merge and attempt to make the case to the Vermont Agency of Education that the goals of Act 46 could be better achieved by remaining as independent school districts. At each forum, participants weighed in on the benefits and challenges seen in each of the options, as well as questions about the options and the larger impacts on our communities. Overall themes drawn from the three forums included the need for more information on the financial impact of merging, hope for more options available to students, questions about potential loss of identity for schools and town in a merged district, and the need for more information on transportation of students. Participants recommended that the process include input from students, that a clear vision be articulated for each of the high school programs, and that generally more detail be provided to community members so an informed decision can be made. For more complete feedback from these forums, as well as more specifics on the three options and on Act 46 in general, please use the links on the Cabot School website and/or contact myself or another Cabot School Board member. We also heard a report at our 1/31 meeting on what a project-based learning program at Cabot might look like as part of option #2. Cabot School Principal Dave Schilling and music teacher Brian Boyes were two members of a design team of teachers and staff from the three schools that met recently to outline the broad features of the program. Together with team representatives from Twinfield and Danville, they presented their vision for the program and how it could benefit students from across the four towns. Committee members responded with interest as well as a wide array of questions: The result was a lively, informative and valuable discussion on the workings and potential merits of a PBL program in a new, merged district. Next up for the Act 46 Committee will be to begin researching in more detail the specific benefits and challenges of adopt- Right: Daisies practice cookie-selling skills.

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Roz Daniels’ Work at Maple Valley Café

Julie Levine, a cook at Maple Valley Cafe on Route 2 in Marshfield near the Plainfield line, left, and J. Willis Pratt, a local Plainfield musician, examine the photographic art work of Roz Daniels of Cabot exhibited around the cafe. Maple Valley regularly has local artists display their work. Daniels’ exhibit of Cabot scenes entitled Rural Abstractions, contains photographs of the Burtt farm and apple orchard and sites near the Bayley-Hazen Road. Photo courtesy of Will Walters.

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2017 General & Highway Fund Budgets: Calculation Error Discovered to the Good!

If you have ever built a budget for your family, or for even a municipality, then you know it is filled with many pitfalls as you calculate the bottom line. It’s basically a spending plan for a time period that can be right on or fall apart with a very hard winter and increased expenses. After the recent 2017 budget was completed, Warning published and Town Report printed, we found a formula error in an excel spreadsheet program. We wanted to bring it to the attention of the voters immediately so there would be no surprises on Town Meeting. Here are the effects: •The corrected budgets lower the projected Municipal Property Tax Rate from 0.5388 down to 0.5285. For comparison purposes, the 2016 Rate was 0.5316. •After Town Meeting, the correct budgets will have to be Warned and voted on a second time by Australian Ballot. We will only be voting on the General Fund and Highway Fund budgets at Town Meeting. •Both the town’s legal counsel, Dan Richardson from Tarrant, Gilles, and Richardson, and Garrett Baxter, lead attorney for the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, have advised the Selectboard that the incorrect budgets can still be voted on at Town Meeting after the Selectboard informs the voters about the incorrect budgets and shows how they have been corrected. This important step will be accomplished at both the February 28, 2017, Public Hearing at 7:00 p.m. in the Willey Building and at Town Meeting on March 7, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. in the school gymnasium. Bottom Line: While the Selectboard very much regrets that the published and warned budgets contained in the Town Report are incorrect and will require a second warned budget and vote by Australian Ballot after Town Meeting, we are pleased to report that the corrected budgets do result in a projected lowering of the Municipal Property Tax Rate in 2017 from 0.5388 down to 0.5285.

Cabot Selectboard

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COUNTRY COMMENTARY

Here we are nearly at the end of winter and some of us never had cabin fever. I was one of the lucky ones. With a puppy you really don't have time for cabin fever you are already crazy with the puppy. We have been going to puppy class at Central Vermont Humane Society and they are soooooo great! I highly recommend them. We have learned so much about ourselves and our pup Bodhi who is five months now.

I hope everyone enjoyed last month the month of LOVE! We put hearts everywhere, copies of an original from the Montpelier ! It was delightful. Then we made a special meal and enjoyed each others company along with the three cats and the dog of course.

I felt sorry for my chickens during the cold that we were having in February. They are cold hardy thank goodness and still laying eggs. It's insane. I love my chickens. They each have their own names and personalities they are fun and just great to have around. I can't wait for spring so they can get out more.

We have one cat named Anushka and she likes to make things fall off the edges of things. Sh has her evil ways and she has broken a few things but she just looks up at you with an innocent face, the heart melts and all is forgiven in an instant. Webberly our past abused kitty is letting me put my head on his belly which is a truly big trust thing. I love that cat, he so loves Bodhi our dog. They play often until Webberly has had enough and Bodhi hasn't and then Webberly rightly claws his nose to let him know to stop. OY!

Piss Ant is our third cat and she is fifteen years old and still going strong for all that she has a thyroid issue and kidney issue. She has been with us since she was born and I just love her though she hates everyone else except the dog. I don't know, my little people are weird.

I am still writing, well obviously but I am also working on short stories for magazines, it will be fun and it is one of my dreams to be published although I guess I am every month. Dream fulfilled just working on others. Cool. I hope everyone is working on their dreams. Never give up on them. I mean I wanted to go to Australia and I went and I wanted to be a Black Belt and I got to fourth degree. I have actually seen a lot of my dreams come true. Finding the right guy for sure. He is the best for me anyway.

Maybe this is your year for dreams to come true, ya never know and if you are working at it, living it and breathing it, it can really happen. That is how I have done it just by doing it. The Nike catch phrase "JUST DO IT" is really all there is to it but some people just don't really want to put the effort into it which is sad in and of itself but if that's what they want to do then so be it.

My mission is to be happy most of the time and to share that happiness wherever I go. Spread the LOVE that's my thing and I look forward to it. You never know what will happen if you do, usually something magical along the way. I know it sounds silly but really magic can and does happen. Maybe you think of it as God and miracles but what ever you think it can't hurt to spread the love.

On that note I bid thee a great month until next time when I will write something we just don't know what. Enjoy life ya never know when it might end and endings are pretty final, so live, love and laugh a whole lot.

Laura Lee Smith

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Cabot Recycling News

By Ben Davis, Cabot NEKWMD Representative

The Cabot Recycling Center is located on Sawmill Road in Lower Cabot. The Center is open every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. through noon. A wide variety of post-consumer wastes are collected at the Center. For a complete list, please visit the Center during hours of operation. The Northeast Kingdom Waste Management District collects the materials once a week for processing at the District’s Lyndonville facility prior to shipping out for reprocessing into other consumer products and industrial feedstocks. Sale of recyclables provides an important revenue stream for continuing the operation of the District’s many recycling depots. Although commodity prices for recycled materials rebounded slightly near the end of 2016, overall recycling in the District was down 2% in 2016. Revenues were down slightly and the District ended the year with a small deficit. On Town Meeting Day, residents of Cabot and Marshfield will vote on the District budget by Australian ballot. The NEKWMD is starting 2017 with a proposed budget of $755,527. This is an increase of 5.3% compared to 2016, but only a 1.6% increase compared to 2015. Please note that your vote to pass the NEKWMD budget on Town Meeting Day will not affect the Cabot or Marshfield Town budgets. The NEKWMD is a State-chartered municipality comprised of 49 member towns, totaling over 50,000 residents. The District was staffed by ten full-time and four part-time employees in 2016. A portion of the District’s annual budget is derived from a surcharge on trash collected in the District. The surcharge rate of $23.25 will increase by $1.00 for 2017 to $24.25. The surcharge on trash collected by the NEKWMD remains below the state average of $25.07. Residents of Cabot and neighboring towns continue to bring high quality recyclables to the Cabot Recycling Center. High quality means clean and free of contaminants. Keep up the great work on this front.

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 3 onward.

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Local Business Matters

By Ellen Cairns I recently met with Carrie and Kempton Randolph from Hooker Mountain Farm, as well as their five year old son, Avi, and baby daughter, Mallow.

You have a lot of different things going on! First, what are all of the different businesses that are under the Hooker Mountain Farm name? The distillery is our primary focus – the tasting room just opened in December. What’s nice is that it ties in to the rest of the farm system. We grow 80% of the grains that we use to make the whiskey. Then the spent grain mashes get fed to the livestock, and the animals then fertilize the soil. It’s sustainable for us and for the land. We’re currently making maple whiskey and a habanero pepper whiskey. We also make seasonal flavors like a blackberry whiskey in the summer and applejack in the fall. We also specialize in doing cured meats - hard salami and chorizo - and ground beef, that are all for sale at our farm store. We’ll also sell whole and half pigs, and we make vinegar products, such as apple cider vinegar, and also different flavors of maple soda. And we sugar - we have 500 taps.

How has the response to the distillery been so far? It’s been great! The best is when local people come out who are interested in homesteading and small-scale diversified farming. The distillery is the first of its kind in the state and probably on the East Coast. What sets us apart is that no one else is actually growing the grain they use. We make all of the alcohol from scratch. Prohibition industrialized alcohol but now there’s been a movement towards smaller scale, craft products. We’re bringing back the agricultural component of alcohol production as part of a small farm.

What in your background prepared you to start your business? (Kempton and Carrie laughed). Carrie: My background is in early education, but I’ve been interested in food for a long time. I really enjoy the homesteading aspect and raising high quality food in a natural way. Kempton: I went to school for biology and then to UVM for historic preservation. If you combine those, you get farming. I was inspired by reading about distilleries in Cabot in the early 1800s. I didn’t come up with the model - there’s a lot of history of these kinds of agricultural distilleries around here.

What do you like about doing business in Cabot? Kempton started coming up to the area in 2003 and bought their home in 2004. We really enjoy this area and the people here. We want to be a part of the community and have people come out to the farm. We don’t distribute our products so we can keep them affordable. We’re trying to have a little general store on the farm for the Peacham Pond/Marshfield area- we’ll try to carry beer and wine, ice cream and other local products besides our own items.

What challenges do you face doing business in Cabot? We’re in a very rural location. The great thing about the alcohol is having a product that brings people to the farm. It’s nice to have a draw - that’s always been a challenge.

How do you see your business growing? What are your goals for the future? We’re looking at doing more community events - things for families or people who want to learn more about diversified farming. We’ll be holding a two-day workshop this summer on farming for distilling - both alcohol and essential oil distilling. We’ll continue to focus on onfarm sales. It’s all very intentional - the primary mission is to support the farm and my family. And we want to let people know they can combine a visit to the farm - come out and use the trails around here - with a trip to Molly’s Falls State Park, which is right next to our land. Hooker Mountain Farm is currently open on Fridays and Saturdays. Call 4 2 6 - 2 0 5 2 orvisithtp : / /www.hookermountainfarm.com/ for more hours and information. Our first community outreach event is on March 11. It is a "Pruning Pizza Party". The event is from 1-3:00 p.m. and includes a 45 minute tutorial on apple tree pruning and is followed by farmhouse pizza in the still house. We will of course be offering still house tours and free tasting before or after the workshop. This is an event for the whole family and children are encouraged. There will be an animal tour and craft activity for children while the other parent takes the workshop. Cost is $10 for an individual and $20 for a family, this includes the workshop, children activity and pizza. Pre-registration is required by emailing us at [email protected]. Local Business Matters is brought to you by Cabot Community Association. Ellen will be contacting local business people over the next few months. If you have a business and are interested in being highlighted or have other ideas you’d like to propose, we’d love to hear from you. Call us at 563-3338 or email [email protected].

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What Are You Up To?

By Sarah Spletzer Welters ter squash is hard to make money on, because the per acre-yield is low. I have been focusing on Brussels sprouts because they are a high value crop per acre, but they are pretty laborintensive, they take a lot of time, picking. Right now, I'm excited about doing more strawberries and rhubarb. I'm hoping to get a wholesale account for rhubarb.

Are the strawberries for selfpicking? Yes, mostly for self-picking. People like them a lot, and they are a good spring crop. We are also planting a few elderberries, some perennial plants that could work well. And we do a lot of greenhouse tomatoes, that's a crop that works well for us, too.

You also sell to the Cabot store, right? Yes, we try to sell to the Cabot store as much as we can, and we try to make it affordable for people. As a farm, we are looking for more ways to feed the town of Cabot. That's the direction we want to move in. I would like to find more direct ways to sell to people and connect with folks who are interested in buying food directly from us.

As a young farmer, do you have any mentors? My major farming mentor at this point is Bruce Kaufman from Riverside Farm in East Hardwick. As for farmers closer by, it’s Paul Stecker, from Cabot. I definitely had support from farms and individual people in setting up my own farm that I am very grateful for.

You can find Provender Farm on

Facebook: www.facebook.com/provender.farm.

What Are You Up To? Is brought to you by the Cabot Community Association. If you would like to suggest a Cabot resident to be highlighted in this monthly column , pleasemail [email protected] or call 563- 3338.

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OBITUARIES & MEMORIALS

Carroll O. “Mert” Bashaw

Carroll O. “Mert” Bashaw, 79, of Crossville, TN, formerly of Cabot, passed away peacefully on January 18, 2017, at his home. He was born December 5, 1937, in Marshfield, the son of the late Henry Bashaw, Sr., and Madine (Shaw) Bashaw. He attended Cabot public schools and graduated from Marshfield High School in the class of 1955. On December 29, 1960, he married Beverley M. Sheperd in Montpelier. Mr. Bashaw was a retired truck driver who achieved several recognitions, including a One-Million-Mile Safe Driving Award and a truck rodeo trophy, during his long career. He was also a retired member of the Vermont Army National Guard. During his retirement in Tennessee, he enjoyed playing pool with his many friends at the Fair Park Senior Center in Lake Tansi. He participated in league tournaments and was a member of several winning teams.

Survivors include: two daughters, Diane Bashaw of Cabot and Becky Toland and her husband, Tom, of Waltham, MA, a grandson, Ryan Toland of Waltham, MA., several nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition to his parents, Mr. Bashaw was predeceased by his wife, Beverley, in 2010 and a brother, Henry Bashaw, Jr., in 1998. Visiting hours and Graveside Services will be held on the spring with a date and time to be announced. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Cumberland County Animal Shelter, 782 East Lane Road, Crossville, TN 38555, or to Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice, 600 Granger Road, Barre, VT 05641. Local arrangements are in the care of Dian R. Holcomb of Northern Vermont Funeral Service, 60 Elm Street, Hardwick.

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Interview with Jonah Bourne

In spring 2010, Jonah Bourne (30) moved from Mud City in Morrisville to Cabot. He lives and farms at Provender Farm, together with his mother, Dawn Andrews, and a few friends.

Jonah, what brought you to Cabot?

We were looking for a farm and found this property that Henry Menard had put on Craigslist. It sounded just right, and like the place we were looking for: Two houses, the sugarbush…. We didn't really want to leave the Lamoille Valley, but it was just such a good fit, propertywise, that we went for it!

Did you always have the plan to live on the farm together with other young people? Yes, I pretty much have always lived communally. It just makes so much sense on a lot of levels - for the environment, financially, socially….

How do you like living in Cabot?

As a native Vermonter, I moved over only a couple of towns, but it still meant losing my direct connections to the community I came from. When I came here, I pretty much didn't know anyone. It took five, six years, but I feel very attached to this community now, and I like it a lot! I actually wish and hope to find ways to get to know and connect with more people. In fact, I wish we had a coffee place or bar in town, so that there would be more overlap for people. But, either way, it’s great to be here, it's a good town.

How would you describe what you do on your farm? We are a small, wholesale, organic vegetable farm. We sell locally and to Deep Root [Deep Root Organic Co-op]. We also sell maple sap and shiitake mushrooms. The land is hayed by our neighbor, Paul Stecker. We are not expecting to get rich with the farm, but, rather, make enough money to get by and at the same time living the good life.

I know that you try out new crops on a regular basis - is there anything you wouldn't do on your farm? We are still a beginning farm, so I'm still testing out what works for me and what works for the land, what kind of crop I want to be dealing with, what grows well in our climate and soil. So, things I don't want to be doing are large crops, like soybeans or grains. Even win-

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 4 onward.

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Stories From The Cabot Historical Society

Fisher Farm Barbara Carpenter has written a history of the Fisher Farm on West Hill in Cabot where Ken Talbot now lives. She describes Luke Fisher as having “played a heroic part in the introduction of testing for bovine tuberculosis in Vermont,” which led to nearly complete eradication of the disease in Vermont. What follows is a brief summary of Barbara’s work. The farm, owned by four generations of Fishers, burned in 1903. It had for many years been one of the most beautiful and productive farms in Cabot. Luke Fisher’s grandparents, Joseph and Sarah (Osgood) Fisher, arrived in Cabot in the early 1800s and built a log cabin on the West Hill property. Their son, Caleb Fisher (Luke’s father) later married a Cabot woman named Laura Stone. Luke Fisher married Isidore Wallace, daughter of the prominent Cabot doctor, M. P. Wallace. The 1800s brought significant changes in farming practices in Vermont. Farmers were intent on improving their herds and finding ways to increase milk production through breeding and new feeding and care techniques for their animals. Fisher was active with the Washington County Agricultural Society was proclaimed owner of “some of the finest stock in New England.” He frequently won awards with his animals. When Professor F. A. Rich, veterinary instructor from the University of Vermont came to Cabot in 1894 to lecture on tuberculosis and how testing could now be done for it, Fisher and others paid close attention. Professor Rich told them cattle that tested positive had to be destroyed to keep the disease from spreading. Luke Fisher’s exemplary herd appeared to be in the very best of health, but being curious, Fisher asked Rich to test his cows. Test results were positive for six of Fisher’s cows and they had to be Fisher Farm with owners destroyed. This prompted other Cabot farmers to follow Fisher’s example and have their animals tested. Some had to have their entire herd destroyed, but the combination of testing to eliminate diseased animals and changing farm practices in feeding and caring for cattle, helped to control the terrible disease. Barbara Carpenter, present day organic farmer and avid historian, has collected a wealth of information and statistics about the Fisher family and their farm in her booklet, “Luke Fisher Farm.” She has donated a copy to the Cabot Historical Society, and it will be available in the research center at the Main Street building this spring – stop in to peruse it during Fourth of July open house at the Cabot Historical Society, or you may contact Mrs. Carpenter at carpfarm @fairpoint.net.

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Open House March 26 at Ducharmes’

There will be a Cabot Tower Clock open house at Richard Ducharme's shop from 2 – 4:00 p.m. on March 26, the last Sunday in March. Everyone is welcome to come to see their clock that was installed in the church tower in 1888 and has kept time for the Town ever since. The clock is a Howard model 5 tower clock, of which about 1,000 were made. It is an example of the best of American manufacturing craftsmanship of the late 19th Century. The restoration has involved many volunteers cleaning, repairing, remaking parts and painting. You will be able to see how the clock works and what has been done to get it ready to run for another 100+ years. The original estimate of the restoration was $17,000, but with volunteers to provide the labor, supervised by a professional restorer, the final cost will be about $6,000. This has been funded by a grant from the Vermont Community Foundation and a private charity.

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‘I Love to Read and Write’ at Cabot School

Guest reader reads to Cabot School kindergarten class. Photo courtesy of Carolyn Deasy.

By Lela Jones

The week of February 13, Cabot School hosted its first ever ‘I Love to Read and Write’ week. Held in the Cabot School Library, students from all grades were invited to listen to guest readers, participate in various activities and were welcomed into open space to settle into cozy chairs with a good book. Throughout the week, people such as Henry Burke, Rider Lalomia, Judy Boucher, Evlyn Hislop, Roz Daniels, Jeffrey Haslett, and David Shilling came to the library and become guest readers for the younger students of Cabot School. In addition to guest readers, activities/events such as the first grade students going up to the senior center to read, were scheduled. The creation of “kindness notes” for staff and faculty and other various activities involving the older students were the highlight of some students’ days. This was an educational, nationwide event that Cabot School was proud to participate in and make a part of the school. ‘Read Across America’ is a part of the National Education Association, which is the main base for what we now know as the ‘I Love to Read and Write’ program. I Love to Read and Write’ week, in not just a week, but rather it is a month dedicated to the love and development of reading and writing.

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Focusing on the Core Needs: Principal’s Annual Report

By David Schilling Last year, I wrote that our theme was “building” – working to put in place the structures, supports and systems necessary to meet the demands of a changing world, and start to fix the effects of many years of leadership turnover and upheaval at school. If last year was about building, this year is about settling – getting used to a new structure, and patching the occasional cracks that pop up as everything sets. We have a great team of professionals in the right positions and are continuing to build a strong school community around our new framework. Rather than chase the latest and greatest in educational trends, we are focusing our work here at school on four core student needs that are at the heart of learning:

Our students need strong reading skills at an early age to access higher-level learning. To meet this need, we’re working to improve literacy rates K-6 (and in some cases, K-8) through a data driven focus on phonemic awareness and fluency. We are so fortunate to welcome MJ Wright to our team, who brings a wealth of elementary literacy skills and strategies. MJ not only knows how to really focus on data to improve student outcomes, but she excels at making reading enjoyable. Last week, we celebrated our firstever “I Love to Read and Write” week, complete with guest readers and “Pajamas, Books and Bears, Oh My!” for our youngest readers. We are focusing on monitoring progress through new assessment strategies, and have purchased Lexia, a reading fluency application to help solidify foundational skills at all levels.

Our students need to know how they’re doing in school, and be able to take increased responsibility for their own learning. To meet this need, we’re improving formative assessment at the 7-12 level through the use of learning scales, proficiencies, and student voice and leadership. Formative assessment can be simply defined as how teachers work to make sure students “get it” during class, before they take a test or present their work at a public exhibition. The League of Innovative Schools has recognized Cabot’s capacity to personalize learning for our students, and has provided us with coaching and support to help teachers design better means of communicating progress to students.

Our students need to feel like school is a safe, inclusive, and engaging place, and that they truly belong in our learning community. To meet this need, we’re improving campus climate through traumainformed practices, intentional socialemotional learning opportunities, and a focus on meaningful whole community events. Elementary teachers have incorporated Second Step, a nationally recognized social-emotional curriculum into their weekly classes, and have also revised their schedules to allow time for both mindful reflection and increased movement breaks. Counseling services are available to students through the Plainfield Health Center, coordinated by school counselor Claire Greene. At the secondary level, we’ve strengthened our advisory program, and are incorporating elements of anti-bullying and personal responsibility.

Our students need to function as active scientists and investigators, and engage in learning with active hands and minds. To meet this need, we’re working to increase scientific knowledge and methods grades 3-8 through increased focus on science education in the school day, vertical alignment across grades, and hands-on, experiential learning opportunities including a strong focus on community-based learning partnerships. Community partnership coordinator Angela Ogle has been an absolute hero at linking classroom learning opportunities to community resources, working to increase relevance for students and stronger connection between the school and community. This necessary work is being done on a volunteer basis, and we’re so grateful for Angela’s commitment and enthusiasm. Our Middle Grades team has expanded the grade 7-8 partnership with UVM’s Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education to their grades 5-6 colleagues, and are working together on creating authentic, “real-world” learning opportunities for all four grades, modeled after the successful 8th grade leadership program. They’re also working to address the complex and often misunderstood needs of boys in the middle school classroom, and on a cohesive 5-8 curriculum. The Tarrant Institute is one of the best professional development organizations in the state, and they have agreed to work with us at no cost, in recognition of Cabot’s potential and commitment to a transformative learning environment. Upon return from winter break, I was presented with one of the best gifts to the school that I could ever imagine. 9th grade student Koschei (Abby) Searles had created a banner with an image of our building and the message “No matter who you are, what you believe or who you love, you are welcome here”. This message of hope and inclusion is powerful in that Koschei recognizes that we’re not always there (yet), but this is a vision that is so necessary for a school community. As we work hard to make sure that our entire community is set up to honor this vision, and the banner hangs proudly in our entryway, we extend a warm welcome to every member of the Cabot community to come see what we’re up to. We hope you’ll attend one of our presentations of learning, monthly community meetings, concerts, or sporting events. You can find out more information about upcoming events here at school by visiting our new community outreach website, www.cabotschoolcommunity.org, or the school website, cabotschool.org.

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ADVICE FROM THE TREE WARDEN

By Roland (Slim) Payne

Well, finally looks like winter around here, with deep snow and colder temperatures, and starting to get snow banks along the road you can’t see over. Forecast is twelve-plus inches through today and tomorrow. S, keep your shovel handy. The month of January was 11.3 degrees above normal in Burlington. That doesn’t sound like much, but that is huge for one month. The bigger lakes are open or partially open, and not safe, as they are collecting a lot of snowmobiles and their riders. I went fishing two weeks ago, on a small pond and there was 15” to 18” of ice. Plenty safe. I now have six horse chestnut trees about a foot tall, and they look good, but I don’t know what will happen because they should be dormant this time of year, just have to wait and see. The people watching climate change are concerned that, as the temperatures creep up, we could see some of our tree species die out and be replaced trees that grow to our south, where it is warmer. But, as trees die out, invasives will take over, as the sun will get to the forest floor. The likes of bush honeysuckle and wild mustard and barberry and many more.

The judge in Orange County was presiding over a contentious boundary dispute. Before we start this trial, he said, “I want to resolve a preliminary matter. Yesterday, the plaintiff gave me $10,000 to rule in his favor. Today, the defendant gave me $12,000 to rule in his favor. So, to make things fair, the judge concluded, “I am returning $2,000 to the defendant.

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~ TRACY GRAMMER ~

AT THE LANDMARK SCHOOLHOUSE 1643 RT. 215 S. IN LOWER CABOT, VT

SUNDAY, MARCH 5 AT 4:00 p.m.

Suggested Donation - $15 Doors open at 3:00pm i Potluck snacks and BYOB Seating is limited. Advance reservations are recommended. For reservations call: (802) 793-3016 or email: [email protected] More info at: http://www.robinsongs.com/concerts-at-the-schoolhouse.html Tracy Grammer’s website: http://www.tracygrammer.com [2]

Dana and Susan Robinson welcome Massachusetts-based singer-songwriter,

Tracy Grammer, to the historic schoolhouse in Lower Cabot, Vermont. Tracy Grammer has become one of folk music's most beloved artists.

Renowned for her springwater-clear alto, perfectly intoned violin, and guitar playing that is by turns percussive and delicate, Grammer is also a masterful storyteller with an ease and

TRACY GRAMMER rose to acclaim as half of the "postmodern, mythic American folk" duo, DAVE CARTER & TRACY GRAMMER. From 1998-2001, the duo released three internationally celebrated, folk chart-topping albums featuring Carter's mytho-poetic Americana songcraft and in 2002, toured with JOAN BAEZ, both as featured artists and Baez's band members. Called “the new voice of modern folk music,” the duo was clearly in its ascendancy when in July 2002, Carter suffered a fatal heart attack while the duo was on tour. He was 49; charisma on stage -- not to mention a riotous sense of humor.

Grammer, 34.

“Tracy Grammer is a brilliant artist and unique individual. Her voice

is distinctive, as is her mastery over the instruments she plays.” - JOAN BAEZ “One of the finest pure musicians anywhere in folkdom.” - BOSTON GLOBE "One of the finest interpretive artists on the contemporary folk scene."

- MONTREAL GAZETTE “Her pure voice conveys the simple truths of these songs; her gifts as a musician are like that of a painter who is a master of chiaroscuro, offering light and shadow at every turn.“ - MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER

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Cabot Community Theater Come and See Willy Wonka!

By Karen Mueller-Harder

At the end of March, a fantastical adventure you won’t want to miss will be coming to Cabot! Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka, based on the wonderful book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” is full of humor, music, dancing, and fun, with just a bit of weirdness! This amazing production features 45 community members, so you’re likely to know at least a few; please come and share in the joy of what your friends and neighbors have been preparing for you this winter! For those unfamiliar with the show, it’s the story of a reclusive candy maker, Willy Wonka (performed by Marcus Becherer), who is seeking an heir to his empire, and places golden tickets for a tour of his secret factory inside five candy bars. Charlie Bucket (Camryn Hoffman) hopes to find one of those tickets, but her hopes dwindle as tickets are found by greedy and spoiled children across the globe (played by Jonah Socks, Leo Parlo, Sawyer Estivill, and Cameron Mueller-Harder). Their parents (Lori Augustyniak, Alice Almgren, Christine Batey, and Karen Mueller- Harder) are just as bad, as we see in their interviews with reporter Phineous Trout (Declan O’Connor). Charlie’s quirky family (KaitLynn Lakus, Gwendolyn Hallsmith, Christine Batey, Peg Elmer Hough, Jerrie Nash, and Randy Hough) try to keep up her spirits with their lively banter, and the local Candy Man (Leo Parlo) and Charlie’s friends (Adelie Tebbetts, Lorelei Bastress, and Natalie Davis) share her delight for sweet things. Wonka’s factory is run by a team of mysterious beings known as oompaloompas, performed by Lorelei Bastress, Natalie Davis, Summer Hoffman, Sage King, Petra Lalomia, Bailey Levine, Declan O’Connor, Alaina Robbins, Adelie Tebbetts, and Scarlett Wetmore, who share their wisdom as they sing and dance. There is an amazing group of production staff working on this show! In addition to stage direction by Karen Mueller- Harder and Cameron Mueller-Harder, music direction by Cameron Mueller- Harder, and choreography by Daria Babbitt, we’ve been delighted to have set design and construction by Todd Parlo, Bob Hatch, and Lori Augustyniak, props by Barbara and Rich Halada, light and sound work by Billie O’Connor and David Moody, and costume coordination by Beth Hoffman & Tamara Feldman. Publicity is thanks to Todd Jones, Vicky Tebbetts, Ellen Cairns, KaitLynn Lakus, and Amy Levine, with Lisa Estivill, Isabella McCallum, and Susie Socks helping with sets and props. The accompanist for the performances is Mark Violette, with additional rehearsal accompaniment by Cameron Mueller-Harder, Suzy North, Ethan Socks, and Ellen Voigt. We’ve also benefitted from vocal coaching of cast members by Alice Almgren, and piano mentoring by Bruce Westcott. Cabot Community Theater will be performing this show for one weekend only, so be sure to mark it in your calendar now! There will be 7:00 shows on Friday, March 31, and Saturday, April 1, and 2:00 matinees on Saturday, April 1, and Sunday, April 2. Performances will be at the Cabot School Performing Arts Center, and tickets are $10 general admission and $8 for students and seniors. For reservations or more information, call 563-3338. The last time we did a musical, all performances were sold out, so we recommend making advance reservations to be safe. See you at the show!

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Planning Notes

By Karen Deasy, Cabot Zoning Administrator & Planner make sure they are still clean

• Pace yourself, winter snow removal can be strenuous For those planning building projects or renovations this year, now is a great time to complete permits. Want to build a dormer, a storage building, putting on a new deck or just rebuilding the old porch, you will need a zoning permit for these items (including agricultural use). If you are not sure, call or email to confirm. You can reach me, Karen Deasy, at 563-2279 or [email protected]. Remember, spring is around the corner!

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FREE FOOD SHARE AND FOOD DROP DATES ~ FOR THE NEEDY ~

CABOT FOOD SHARE Wednesday,

MARCH 8 Noon-2:00 p.m. Wednesday, MARCH 22 Noon-2:00 p.m. Cabot Masonic Hall 3339 Main Street FAITH IN ACTION NORTHERN COMMUNITIES PARTNERSHIP INC.

Available for Cabot Residents

MARSHFIELD FOOD DROP Second Saturday of every month.

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Cabot Athletics and Recreational News

Kiley Currier, sophomore at Cabot School, filling in for Coach North for the day during 3/4 basketball practice. Kiley Currier also assisted with middle school girls and middle school boys teams throughout the basketball season this year. Photo by Tamara Feldman.

By Lynn Lehoe Cabot School Athletic Director

As you are reading this article, basketball is just about ending. This year, we had a pre-k through second grade Saturday morning program run by Sonia Bailey, three/four team coached by Cameron North, five/six team coached by Brian Hale, middle school girls team and a middle school boys team, both coached by Aaron Fuller. The varsity boys team was coached by Alan DeLaricheliere and assistant coach Darin Barber. The varsity girls team was coached by Darin Barber and assistant coach Alan De- Laricheliere and Brett Bellavance. All the teams did exceptionally well throughout the season, learning new skills and playing as a team. Please check out the Cabot School athletics calendar for up-to-date schedules. Playoffs for the varsity boys start on February 27, and for the varsity girls March 6. Exciting news for this spring! We will once again have an Ultimate Frisbee team for high school. Last year, they won the championship! For new activities this spring, we will have varsity softball once again in Cabot and grades third through fifth Girls on the Run program. For information or questions please contact [email protected]. Chuck Talbert will be organizing little league, which is for ages 4 through 12. For information, please email Chuck at [email protected]. Cabot Recreation will once again be putting together summer programs. Please let us know of any ideas that you would like us to consider for the summer.

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TWIN VALLEY SENIOR CENTER

4583 U.S. Route 2 P.O. Box 152 East Montpelier, VT 05651 By Rita Copeland, Executive Director

Twin Valley Senior Center has many projects taking place daily. We hope you will join us for some of the activities. For more information call 223-3322 or email:[email protected]. Every Monday, Wednesday & Friday Bone Builder classes at 7:30 am., 9:15 a.m. (Monday & Wednesday only) and there is a 10:40 a.m. class, which is full. Monday & Fridays is the Advanced Tai Chi classes at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday & Thursdays are the Beginners class 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Please stop by to observe and join any of the classes, if you would like to. These classes are free and welcome any age. On Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. is cribbage playing. It is for men and women, and we encourage you to come and play.

Even if you never played, the players will teach you. We are looking for and encouraging pinochle players. Even if you never played, they will teach you. Rummy always takes place and we are hoping we can get Pitch players together and have those sessions start. Feldenkrais classes will begin on March 22 at 1:00 p.m. Come and see what the class is all about. Tax preparation will be taking place until April 14. If you need your taxes prepared free of charge by AARP tax preparers, please call as soon as possible, as the time slots are filling up quickly. The first Friday of each month is the Death Café group meetings. Come and join the group at 11:45 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., and enjoy a lunch at 12:15 p.m. while you are meeting. The meeting is confidential. The first Friday of each month from 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m., we have a book club. Please feel free to join the club. There is no charge for the gathering. For more information, please contact Alyce at 426-3384 or email [email protected]. Pastel Classes beginning March 31 from 3-5:00 p.m. at Twin valley Senior Center.Contact Susan Crampton at 223- 6954 or email: [email protected] for more information. Don’t forget, when shopping on line, use smile.amazon.com to help support Twin Valley Seniors.

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FROM THE CABOT PUBLIC LIBRARY

Programs Story Hour – Tuesdays – 11:00 a.m.–

12:00 noon – NEW TIME Preschool story hour – stories, songs and crafts – all are welcome!

Pokémon Club – Tuesdays, 3:00–4:00

p.m. All are welcome – bring your own cards if you have them, but not necessary. Call Jonah and Ethan Socks for more info at 563-2073. Computers will be turned off during this time.

Meditation Group – First and Third Wednesdays, March 1 and 15 – 6:00 –

7:30 p.m. Meeting on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. Daria Babbitt has been teaching meditation for over 25 years and will introduce different meditation techniques designed to reduce stress. There will also be time for discussion about various healing techniques and inner spiritual growth. This workshop is open to all and donations are gratefully accepted.

And Still I Rise - Movie Series – Wednesday, March 8 and 22 – 6:00- 8:30 p.m. Movie, free rice pasta supper (bring dessert to share if you wish) and conversation. We will be looking at perspectives on recent history in America with the movies Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise followed by 13th. Join us as we look into the past so we can learn more about how to approach our future in this country. Please RSVP so we know how much food to make. Please indicate if childcare is needed. “In this series, BLACK AMERICA SINCE MLK: AND STILL I RISE, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. embarks on a deeply personal journey through the last fifty years of African American history. Joined by leading scholars, celebrities, and a dynamic cast of people who shaped these years, Gates travels from the victories of the civil rights movement up to today, asking profound questions about the state of black America and our nation as a whole.” - Amazon “Between the lines, “13th” boldly asks the question if African-Americans were actually ever truly “free” in this country. We are freer, as this generation has it a lot easier than our ancestors who were enslaved, but the question of being as completely “free” as our White compatriots hangs in the air. If not, will the day come when all things will be equal? The final takeaway of “13th” is that change must come not from politicians, but from the hearts and minds of the American people.” –Odie Henderson Cabot Old Time Contra and Square

Dance – Saturday, March 11 – 7:30 p.m. This dance series consists of monthly dances on the second Saturday of the month September through May. All are invited. Music will be provided by David Carpenter and friends. The dances are taught and are easily learned by young and old. The contra and square dances are traditional Vermont and New England social dances that have been danced for many generations in town halls, barns, and kitchens around Vermont. The music is provided by piano and an assortment of fiddles, mandolins, guitars, and the occasional surprise instrument. Musicians are always invited to sit in and join with the fun of playing traditional dance tunes. There is a small suggested donation to help cover the cost of the caller. For more info, please call David Carpenter at 802- 426-3225 or email [email protected].

Community Book Group – Wednesday, March 15 – 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Cabot Community Book group generally meets the third Wednesday of the month. This month’s selection will be On the Trail of Genghis Khan by Tim Cope. “The relationship between man and horse on the Eurasian steppe gave rise to a succession of rich nomadic cultures. Among them were the Mongols of the thirteenth century--a small tribe, which, under the charismatic leadership of Genghis Khan, created the largest contiguous land empire in history. Inspired by the extraordinary life nomads lead, Tim Cope embarked on a journey that hadn't been successfully completed since those times: to travel on horseback across the entire length of the Eurasian steppe, from Karakorum, the ancient capital of Mongolia, through Kazakhstan, Russia, Crimea and the Ukraine to the Danube River in Hungary.” – Amazon. All are welcome to join in! Copies of books will be available in the library.

3D Printing Projects for Kids of all Ages – Tuesday, March 28 – 7:00 p.m.

Have you ever wondered what people are making with 3-D printers? Come see a demonstration of 3D printing! 3D printing uses an inexpensive printer to create solid objects in plastic. Your imagination is the only limitation. See a printer in action and learn what it takes. If there is enough interest, a future workshop will go into more detail learning how to create your own 3D projects.

Thank You!

Thanks so much to Carol Noyes for her program based on her book Coming Full Circle, which is available to borrow in the library. The continued volunteer help is very much appreciated – thank you to Jennifer Barlow, Lorelai Bastress, Susan Dineen, Vicki Palmer and Beth Wade. Much gratitude to all the folks who help with regular ongoing programming: Daria Babbitt, David Carpenter, Alicia Feltus, Jonah and Ethan Socks.

See you at the Library!

Kathleen Hoyne

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Cabot Library Reminders

• Tuesday 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Story Hour 11:00 am - NEW TIME

• Wednesday 2:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

• Thursday 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

• Saturday 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

• Closed Sunday, Monday & Friday

• ECHO Pass – Allows up to 2 adults and 3 youths, $4 each admission, into ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center in Burlington.

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Can the Fire Department Find Your Home?

By Dean Deasy, 2nd Assistant Chief, Cabot Fire Department

The biggest delay in response comes from lack of E-911 signage in an emergency. Emergency personal must quickly find the residence (or business) needing assistance. Emergency departments have up to date equipment, but if they can’t find a home, especially at night, there is no equipment in the world that can help. Take a moment and inspect your E-911 sign. Make sure it can be seen from the street and is not covered with snow! If you don’t have one, please email us at [email protected] and we can provide one to you at minimal cost.

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